CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner's 7
Dimensions of Culture
 Hofstede's 5 Cultural Dimensions
 Hall’s 3 Cultural Dimensions

BEING A GLOBAL LEADER
Not an added skill but a sine qua nom
“qualification” because of:
Globalization  increased interdependency
btw countries & people
 Cross-border flow of goods and money, events
& decisions in one company/country affect
another one in another part of the world
 Executives face more variety (domestic
workforce more diverse)

TROMPENAARS AND
HAMPDEN-TURNER'S 7
DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE
ADOPTED FROM WWW.MINDTOOLS.COM
The 7Dimensions of Culture were
identified by management
consultants Fons Trompenaars
and Charles Hampden-Turner,
and the model was published in
their 1997 book, "Riding the
Waves of Culture."

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner developed
the model after spending 10 years researching
the preferences and values of people in dozens of
cultures around the world. As part of this, they
sent questionnaires to more than 46,000
managers in 40 countries.

They found that people from different cultures
aren't just randomly different from one another;
they differ in very specific, even predictable,
ways. This is because each culture has its own
way of thinking, its own values and beliefs, and
different preferences placed on a variety of
different factors.

They concluded that what distinguishes people
from one culture compared with another is where
these preferences fall on each of the following
seven dimensions:
7 DIMENSIONS
Universalism vs particularism.
 Individualism vs communitarianism.
 Specific vs diffuse
 Neutral vs emotional.
 Achievement vs ascription.
 Sequential time vs synchronous time.
 Internal direction vs outer direction.

You can use the model to understand people
from different cultural backgrounds better, so
that you can prevent misunderstandings and
enjoy a better working relationship with them.
This is especially useful if you do business with
people from around the world, or if you manage
a diverse group of people.
 The model also highlights that one culture is
not necessarily better or worse than another;
people from different cultural backgrounds
simply make different choices.
 However, the model doesn't tell you how to
measure people's preferences on each
dimension. Therefore, it's best to use it as a
general guide when dealing with people from
different cultures.

1. UNIVERSALISM VS
PARTICULARISM (RULES VS
RELATIONSHIPS)
 People
place a high importance on laws,
rules, values, and obligations. They try to
deal fairly with people based on these rules,
but rules come before relationships.
 People believe that each circumstance, and
each relationship, dictates the rules that
they live by. Their response to a situation
may change, based on what's happening in
the moment, and who's involved.
UNIVERSALISM
UNIVERSALISTS
Do the “right” thing every time.
What’s right is right regardless of circumstances or who
is involved
Apply the rules across the board to every situation
Place a high value on the rules
The rules are more important than the relationship
Obligation to society is more important than obligation to
in-group
A contract is a contract
PARTICULARISTS

Fit their actions to a particular situation

The relationship is more important than the rules

Demonstrate high connectedness to a group

Places a high value on the relationship


Obligation to in-group is more important than
obligation to society
If conditions change, they expect the contract to change
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH
UNIVERSALISTS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
UNIVERSALISTS
They know the “right way” to do things
They may not be very flexible
Explain why it fits the rule and is not an exception
Treat everyone the same – no exceptions
Don’t expect to modify the contract later
- “A deal is a deal”
TIPS FOR
PARTICULARISTS
Work within the rules
Learn the normal operating procedures and industry
practices. Do not expect to change them
Try to avoid renegotiating a completed contract – it is
seen as “bad faith”
Exceptions to the rules might not be welcomed or
tolerated.
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH
PARTICULARISTS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
PARTICULARISTS
Take circumstances into account
To each according to his/her needs
Insiders are treated differently
Focus on the relationship, not the rules
Be flexible
The contract is always in flux, even after signing
TIPS FOR
UNIVERSALISTS
Be willing to make adjustments
Try to be flexible while you stay within the rules
Update your knowledge. Don’t be following rules that
are not current
Typical universalist cultures include the U.S.,
Canada, the U.K, the Netherlands, Germany,
Scandinavia, New Zealand, Australia, and
Switzerland.
 Typical particularistic cultures include Russia,
Latin-America, and China.

2. INDIVIDUALISM VS
COMMUNITARIANISM (THE
INDIVIDUAL VS THE GROUP)


People believe in personal freedom and
achievement. They believe that you make your
own decisions, and that you must take care of
yourself.
People believe that the group is more important
than the individual. The group provides help and
safety, in exchange for loyalty. The group always
comes before the individual.


Typical individualist cultures include the U.S.,
Canada, the U.K, Scandinavia, New Zealand,
Australia, and Switzerland.
Typical communitarian cultures include
countries in Latin-America, Africa, and Japan.
3. SPECIFIC VS DIFFUSE
(HOW FAR PEOPLE GET
INVOLVED)
People keep work and personal lives separate. As
a result, they believe that relationships don't
have much of an impact on work objectives, and,
although good relationships are important, they
believe that people can work together without
having a good relationship.
 People see an overlap between their work and
personal life. They believe that good relationships
are vital to meeting business objectives, and that
their relationships with others will be the same,
whether they are at work or meeting socially.
People spend time outside work hours with
colleagues and clients.

Typical specific cultures include the U.S., the
U.K., Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavia, and
the Netherlands.
 Typical diffuse cultures include Argentina,
Spain, Russia, India, and China.

4. NEUTRAL VS EMOTIONAL
(HOW PEOPLE EXPRESS
EMOTIONS)
People make a great effort to control their
emotions. Reason influences their actions far
more than their feelings. People don't reveal
what they're thinking or how they're feeling.
 People want to find ways to express their
emotions, even spontaneously, at work. In these
cultures, it's welcome and accepted to show
emotion.

Typical neutral cultures include the U.K.,
Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, and
Germany.
 Typical emotional cultures include Poland,
Italy, France, Spain, and countries in LatinAmerica.

5. ACHIEVEMENT VS
ASCRIPTION (HOW PEOPLE
VIEW STATUS)
People believe that you are what you do, and they
base your worth accordingly. These cultures
value performance, no matter who you are.
 People believe that you should be valued for who
you are. Power, title, and position matter in these
cultures, and these roles define behavior.

Typical achievement cultures include the U.S.,
Canada, Australia, and Scandinavia.
 Typical ascription cultures include France,
Italy, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

6. SEQUENTIAL TIME VS
SYNCHRONOUS TIME (HOW PEOPLE
MANAGE TIME)
 People
like events to happen in order.
They place a high value on punctuality,
planning (and sticking to your plans),
and staying on schedule. In this
culture, "time is money," and people
don't appreciate it when their schedule
is thrown off.
 People see the past, present, and future
as interwoven periods. They often work
on several projects at once, and view
plans and commitments as flexible.
Typical sequential-time cultures include China,
Russia, and Mexico.
 Typical synchronous-time cultures include
Japan, Canada, Norway, the U.K., and the U.S.

7. INTERNAL DIRECTION VERSUS OUTER
DIRECTION (HOW PEOPLE RELATE TO
THEIR ENVIRONMENT)
 People
believe that they can control
nature or their environment to achieve
goals. This includes how they work
with teams and within organizations.
 People believe that nature, or their
environment, controls them; they must
work with their environment to achieve
goals. At work or in relationships, they
focus their actions on others, and they
avoid conflict where possible. People
often need reassurance that they're
doing a good job.
Typical internal-direction cultures include
Israel, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the
U.K.
 Typical outer-direction cultures include China,
Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

GEERT HOFSTEDE (1980, 1991)
Studies of 117,000 IBM employees covering 72
national subsidiaries, 38 occupations, 20 languages.
 Used employee attitude surveys taken in 1968-69
and 1971-73 within IBM subsidiaries in 66 countries.
 Statistically analyzed answers which revealed four
central and largely independent bi-polar dimensions
of a national culture.
 Dimensions to explain systematic differences in work
values and practices at the country level:
 Power distance
 Uncertainty avoidance
 Masculinity and femininity
 Individualism and collectivism
 [Confucianism and dynamism]

HOFSTEDE'S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
UNDERSTANDING WORKPLACE VALUES
AROUND THE WORLD
•
Armed with a large database of cultural
statistics, Hofstede analyzed the results and
found clear patterns of similarity and difference
amid the responses along these five dimensions.
Interestingly, his research was done on
employees of IBM only, which allowed him to
attribute the patterns to national differences in
culture, largely eliminating the problem of
differences in company culture.
HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS
1. POWER/DISTANCE (PD)

This refers to the degree of inequality that
exists – and is accepted – among people
with and without power. A high PD score
indicates that society accepts an unequal
distribution of power and people
understand "their place" in the system. Low
PD means that power is shared and well
dispersed. It also means that society
members view themselves as equals
2. INDIVIDUALISM (IDV)

This refers to the strength of the ties people
have to others within the community. A
high IDV score indicates a loose connection
with people. In countries with a high IDV
score there is a lack of interpersonal
connection and little sharing of
responsibility, beyond family and perhaps a
few close friends. A society with a low IDV
score would have strong group cohesion,
and there would be a large amount of
loyalty and respect for members of the
group. The group itself is also larger and
people take more responsibility for each
other's well being.
3. MASCULINITY (MAS)

This refers to how much a society sticks
with, and values, traditional male and
female roles. High MAS scores are found in
countries where men are expected to be
tough, to be the provider, to be assertive
and to be strong. If women work outside the
home, they have separate professions from
men. Low MAS scores do not reverse the
gender roles. In a low MAS society, the roles
are simply blurred. You see women and men
working together equally across many
professions. Men are allowed to be sensitive
and women can work hard for professional
success.
4. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
INDEX (UAI)

This relates to the degree of anxiety society
members feel when in uncertain or
unknown situations. High UAI-scoring
nations try to avoid ambiguous situations
whenever possible. They are governed by
rules and order and they seek a collective
"truth". Low UAI scores indicate the society
enjoys novel events and values differences.
There
5. LONG TERM ORIENTATION (LTO)
 This
refers to how much society
values long-standing – as opposed
to short term – traditions and
values. This is the fifth dimension
that Hofstede added in the 1990s
after finding that Asian countries
with a strong link to Confucian
philosophy acted differently from
western cultures. In countries with
a high LTO score, delivering on
social obligations and avoiding
"loss of face" are considered very
important.
HOFSTEDE’S DIMENSIONS IN
A NUTSHELL..
1. POWER/DISTANCE (PD)
The acceptance of the unequal distribution of
power-the degree to which:
 Employees
are independent
 Structures are hierarchical
 Bosses are accessible
 People have rights or privileges
 Progress is by evolution or
revolution
POWER DISTANCE: SWEDEN…
43
Source: G. Hofstede
POWER DISTANCE


Extent to which members of a society accept
that status and power are distributed unequally
in an organization
Organizations in these cultures tend to be
autocratic, possess clear status differences and
have little employee participation
The Boss at Work
Power Distance
HIGH POWER DISTANCE
Lower status people recognize and accept that power is
held unequally in society.
Hierarchy & status are very important.
Motto: "Respect for the leader or the elder."
LOW POWER DISTANCE
A belief that "all people are equal"
Status comes from competence, not age
Very limited rapport-building time
HOW WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE
WITH
HIGH POWER DISTANCE
CULTURES?
HIGH POWER DISTANCE
CULTURES
Understand & defer to their hierarchy
 Use titles (don't be informal) & respect authority
 Prepare by learning about the position of each person on
their team
 Exchange business cards early
 Treat them with respect.
 Don’t be intimidated by their status
 Demonstrate your rank
 Privileges are expected by superiors
 Blame subordinates
 Remember that everyone has their place
 Better to be too respectful than to lack it
 Don't insist on everyone's input
 Expect highly centralized decision making. Authority
may be limited

TIPS FOR
LOW POWER DISTANCE
CULTURES
Have a leader; discover their leader
Respect their superiors, rank, and age
Recognize differences in status
Be extremely respectfully
Summarize after your meeting to assure
consensus
Remember your "place" in their eyes
Don't get too close to people with less power
Be more formal
Match their rank with your rank
(Eagles with Eagles)
HOW WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE WITH
LOW POWER DISTANCE CULTURES?
NEGOTIATING WITH
LOW POWER DISTANCE
"Just call me John;” be less formal
Titles won’t impress them
Don’t expect the same respect you receive at
home (if you are high status)
Address questions to the whole group
Treat them all as equals
Use teamwork
Acknowledge experience & expertise,
not status
Respect individuality
Respect subordinates; ask for their opinions
TIPS FOR
HIGH POWER DISTANCE
CULTURES
Do not expect the respect you receive at home
 Leave your ego at the door
 Respect everyone, regardless of position
 Be egalitarian, humble and not condescending
 Delegate more
 Listen carefully to their subordinates & expect their '
opinions to count
 Do not judge the value of their opinions by their status
 Accept informality
 Learn who has the power to make decisions
 Solicit opinions of others, including subordinates
 Their lower level people may have more decision
making authority than yours
 Agree to disagree with subordinates.

2. INDIVIDUALISM/COLLECTIVISM
(IDV)
The degree to which people:
 Work in groups or alone
 Relate to their tasks or their
colleagues
INDIVIDUALISM
INDIVIDUALISM AND
COLLECTIVISM
Individualism
 Reflects the extent to which the
individual expects personal freedom and
the liberty to act as an individual
Collectivism
 means the acceptance of responsibility
by groups and nationalities and the
liberty to act as a collective member of a
group
Way of Life
Individualism - Collectivism
INDIVIDUALISM
The individual is most important.
Goals & interests are individual goals &
interests
Things are done for the benefit of the individual
Negotiating teams usually have the power to
make decisions on the spot
It may be hard to determine who is "in charge"
Identity
COLLECTIVISM
The group is most important
Goals are the group's goals
Things are done for the benefit of the group
Concessions & decisions are not make "at the table"
but rather in private, after conferring with others
Consensus style decision making may require the
input of people who are not part of the negotiation
team
HOW WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE WITH
INDIVIDUALISTS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
INDIVIDUALISTS
Expect low context communication and extroverted
behavior
 They will have personal goals distinct from group
goals
 Stress personal gains & individual goals
 Use a "What's in it for me" approach
 Recognize their individuality; they value individual
rights
 They will want some personal time and privacy
 Expect them to think and act individually
 Seek their personal opinions
 Talk of "Me" and "I"
 Individualists are the minority of the world

TIPS FOR
COLLECTIVISTS
•Have a person TOP can view as a leader
•Be more an individual – dress, ideas, etc.
•Express an opinion
•Be self-reliant
•Realize the importance of the individual
•The interests of multiple people at stake.
• Be more direct
• Consider individual rights and privacy
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH
COLLECTIVISTS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
COLLECTIVISTS
•Expect your proposals to be received by a larger group
•Expect high context communication and introverted
behavior
•Expect a team
•Don’t expect immediate action; they must consult others
•Everything will take longer
•Consider the collective goals and interests
•Individual rights are less important
•Insiders are treated differently than outsiders
•Expect them to think and act collectively
•Give them face
•Harmony may be more important than honesty
•Talk of "We"
•They are the majority of the world
TIPS FOR
INDIVIDUALISTS
 Realize
the importance of the group
 Consider yourself as part of a group
 Represent your group
 Conform to your group
 Consider the common good
 Consider "face" issues
 Work towards harmony
 Be less confrontational
 Appeal to collective interests of their group
3. MASCULINITY/FEMININITY (MAS)
The degree to which people:
 Believe in consensus
 Put work at the center
of their
lives
 Expect managers to use
intuition
MASCULINITY
So, Foster. That’s how you want it, huh?
Then take THIS!
MASCULINITY VERSUS
FEMININITY
 Masculine
culture is COMPETITIVE with
an emphasis is on earnings, recognition,
advancement, achievement, wealth,
performance and challenge
 Feminine
culture is COOPERATIVE where
the dominant values are caring, sharing
and the quality of life
MASCULINITY
(COMPETITIVENESS OR
ASSERTIVENESS)
"Win at any cost."
 Display assertive behavior designed to get what they
deserve and can take.
 Focus on money, power, control, competition,
aggression, and an adversarial approach


“The marketplace is a battlefield”
FEMININITY
( NURTURANCE AND
RELATIONSHIPS)
Cooperation
A concern for everyone's interests
Win-win, peaceful approach
Caring for others is most important
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH A
MASCULINE
CULTURE?
NEGOTIATING WITH A
MASCULINE CULTURE
Approach the negotiation competitively
 Be ready to argue
 Assume they are going for a “win,” not a win-win
 Money & power are key
 Be assertive; shake hands; avoid emotions
 Expect "power plays," power tactics, a rights based
discussion and positional bargaining
 Challenging them may result in consequences.
 Expect them to be loud and verbal, with a tendency to
criticize and argue
 They will be reluctant to make concessions.
 They want to win because it "feels good" and that's what
they do

TIPS FOR
FEMININE CULTURE
Be ready to stand your ground
Protect yourself; be competitive
Relationship may be less important than the
“deal”
Women might need to defer to men
Speak up; be willing to interrupt
Be pro-active
“Think” as well as “feel”
They might just want to win for winning's sake.
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH A
FEMININE
CULTURE?
NEGOTIATING WITH A
FEMININE CULTURE
Use interest-based bargaining
Behave “win-win”
Try to not be competitive; be caring
They may support your goals (if possible)
“Separate the people from the problem.“
Seek a long-term relationship
Support the relationship
Engage in small talk; active listen them
They will be willing to offer concessions
Be mindful of the emotions involved
TIPS FOR
MASCULINE CULTURE
 Tone
down your behavior; be less competitive
 Its negotiation - not war
 Listen more
 Reduce your posturing
 Consider & allow some emotions
 Seek harmony and a solution, not conflict
 You don’t need to beat them to “win”
 Both side need to win – especially if you want
a second contract
4. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
INDEX (UAI)
The degree to which people:
 Take risks
 Accept conflict
and stress
 Work without rules
UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
(RISK TAKING)
UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE


The extent to which members of a society
tolerate the unfamiliar and unpredictable
Organizations in these cultures tend to value
experts, prefer clear roles, avoid conflict and
resist change
UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH
RISK AVOIDANCE
SAYS GEERT HOFSTEDE
BUT ALMOST EVERYONE TALKS AS
IF THEY ARE THE SAME
HIGH UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
Risk avoiders who resist change
Feel threatened by unstructured or unknown situations
Motivated by the fear of failure
Has a need for structure and ritual in the negotiation
Expect technical specialists on the negotiating team
They will be wary of novel situations.
Precision and punctuality are important to them
They will seek precise instructions and detailed descriptions
They will seek harmony and to avoid conflict
Likely to be conservative & hesitant
Makes few changes or concessions in their proposals
Seen as rigid or paranoid
Refusal to consider alternatives, seen as bargaining "in bad
faith.“
Motto: "Respect the law"
LOW UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
Risk takers who readily accept change
Take more and greater risks.
Motivated by the hope of success
Willing to "go for it"
Makes many proposals, especially at the
negotiation table
Always pushing for changes
Seen as unprincipled, amoral, confusing, wild,
untrustworthy and unreliable
May not plan much
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH A
HIGH
UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
HIGH UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS














Stick with the status quo
Persuade them with history
Establish ground rules, regulations, and controls
Expect a lot of rules, regulations, and controls
Use agendas, structure, and ritual in the negotiation
Be clear on expectations
Prepare for their technical specialists on the negotiating team
Expect resistance to novel proposals
Expect a long negotiation; they need to remove ambiguities
Build & demonstrate a good “track record” so they are
comfortable
Present all the details
Provide precise instructions and detailed descriptions
Expect few concessions
Seek harmony and avoid conflict
TIPS FOR
LOW UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS
Consider standard agreements & contracts
Set up ground rules & agendas
Avoid risky proposals
Recognize that they might not share your
willingness to take risks
Seek out a 3rd party they trust.
TOP is not likely to trust your proposals
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH A
LOW
UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
LOW UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS
Be more informal.
Propose something novel; they’ll like it
Brainstorm ideas
Consider the alternatives
Use generalists on your negotiating team
Be willing to take limited risks
Wait for them to propose the first concessions
(good for both parties)
TIPS FOR
HIGH UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDERS
Loosen up. Just try it. Be flexible.
 Be willing to "invent options,“
 A little controlled risk could be helpful
 Accept some risk

Contingent agreements & performance Ks
Recognize value & promise in novel ideas
 Think creatively

5. LONG TERM ORIENTATION (LTO)
The degree to which people:
 Have
a short- or long-term
view of their work
 Accept convention
 Persevere with a job
 Spend or invest
LONG TERM ORIENTATION
LONG-TERM V. SHORT-TERM
ORIENTATION


Long-term orientation cultures tend to respect thrift,
high savings rates and perseverance, status and order
in positions, sense of shame.
Short-term orientation cultures tend to respect social
and status obligations regardless of cost and low levels
of savings.
LONG TERM ORIENTATION
Pragmatic, future-oriented perspective
“Sacrifice for the future”
Long term commitments
Focuses on long-term interests
(e.g., market share)
Great respect for tradition
Thrifty with high savings rate
Current situation is less important to them
Strong work ethic
Long term rewards are expected from today’s hard work
Build life-long personal relationships
Respect: thrift, perseverance, status, order, sense of
shame
SHORT TERM ORIENTATION
Conventional, historic, short-term perspective
Focus on present
Change can occur more quickly
Efforts should produce quick results
Focuses on short-term interests (profits)
Seem to be irresponsible and waste money
A concern for saving face
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH
LONG TERM
ORIENTATION
CULTURES?
NEGOTIATING WITH
LTO CULTURES
Expect "slow going“
 Expect strong perseverance
 Have a future focus
 Expect future negotiation opportunities
 Build long-term relationships
 Demonstrate your long-term focus
 Expect a strong work ethic.
 Have great respect for tradition
 Work with their extensive personal networks
 Help them understand the current situation

TIPS FOR
STO CULTURES
•
•
•
•
Be patient. It will take longer than you think
Think about tomorrow
Build long-term relationships
Consider future contracts while you
negotiate this one
• Think of your children
HOW WOULD YOU
NEGOTIATE WITH
SHORT TERM
ORIENTATION
CULTURES?
NEGOTIATING WITH
STO CULTURES
Focus on today & the short term
Incorporate their immediate needs
Make it happen “right now”
Expect quick changes
Help them examine the "long run" and
the consequences of a "quick win."
TIPS FOR
LTO CULTURES
Do not overlook present concerns
Try to move at a faster pace
Spend some money now to ensure a good future
Spend less time in relationship building
Power Distance Hierarchy, Status
“Respect your elders” v. “We
are all equal.” “Just call me
John.”
Individualism- “What’s in it for me?”
collectivism
“How does my group look?”
Long-Term
Orientation
However long it takes
Short term profits
GREECE VS OTHER COUNTRIES
Greece vs UK
 Greece vs Germany
 Greece vs Japan
 Greece vs USA

GREECE VS UK

GREECE VS GERMANY
GREECE VS JAPAN
GREECE VS USA
HALL’S DIMENSIONS

Edward T. Hall was an anthropologist who made
early discoveries of key cultural factors. In
particular he is known for his high and low
context cultural factors.
CONTEXT
HIGH VS LOW
In a high-context culture, there are many
contextual elements that help people to
understand the rules. As a result, much is
taken for granted. This can be very
confusing for person who does not
understand the 'unwritten rules' of the
culture. Much nonverbal communication
 In a low-context culture, very little is taken
for granted. Whilst this means that more
explanation is needed, it also means there is
less chance of misunderstanding
particularly when visitors are present.
Focus on verbal communication

CULTURAL MODELS
A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING
High Context
Cultures
Process focused
Relationships built
over time
Group oriented
Hierarchy
Formality valued
Indirect
communication style
Time polychronic
Low Context
Cultures
Results (task) focused
Fast built
relationships
Individually oriented
Equality
Informality valued
Direct communication
style
Time monochronic
HIGH CONTEXT COMMUNICATION
 Communication
is indirect
 Meaning is indirect, implied, and derived from
the context
 Difficult to hear/infer interests
 Implied meanings arise from the
setting/context
 Non-verbals are very important
 Lots of inferences need to be drawn
 Words promote harmony
 Conflict is avoided
 Says "No" without using the word "No"
Linked to: Collectivism, Hierarchy, spiral logic
LOW CONTEXT COMMUNICATION
Words communicate information directly
 Literal meanings independent of setting/context
 Meaning is in the words; its clear
 “Read my lips"
 Conflict is OK
 Says "No" easily

Linked to: individualism, Equality, Linear logic
EXPLICIT & IMPLICIT COMMUNICATION
Japanese
High
Context
Arabs
114
Latin Americans
Italians
British
French
North Americans
Scandinavians
Germans
Low
Context
Swiss
Explicit
Communication
Implicit
Communication
HOW WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE
WITH
HIGH CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
HIGH CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS
 Read
between the lines
 Don't take them literally; gather "clues"
 Pay close attention to context & non-verbals
 Ask for further clarification
 Draw out their full ideas with questions
 Ask them to be more direct
 Face is very important
 Don't challenge them; they may lose face
 Explain that you do not fully understand;
 Take time to build a good relationship
TIPS FOR
LOW CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS
Read between the lines; be sensitive to the
non-verbals; assess the context
Don’t be too direct
Don't overwhelm them; be less aggressive
Soften your words when expressing
disagreement
Tone down emotions
Engage in more "small talk"
Build relationships early
HOW WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE
WITH
LOW CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS?
NEGOTIATING WITH
LOW CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS
Take their words at face value
No need to read between the lines
What you hear, is what you get
Communicate clearly and explicitly. Be "upfront"
Ask direct questions; share frank observations
Say "no" if you mean "no"
Avoid ambiguous expressions
Reframe their directness as helpful information
(not rudeness)
Listen & active listen
Be ready to negotiate at the first meeting
Handle some business over the phone or internet
TIPS FOR
HIGH CONTEXT
COMMUNICATORS
Don't assume they understand the larger context
 Be more direct; don't be ambiguous
 Say "no" if you mean "no"
 Don't assume they can read your mind
 They won't understand the nuances
 Be ready to negotiate at the first meeting
 Handle some business over the phone or internet
 Use less relationship building time

TIME
MONOCHRONIC VS
POLYCHRONIC


Monochronic: doing one thing at a time.
It assumes careful planning and
scheduling and is a familiar Western
approach that appears in disciplines such
as 'time management'.Monochronic
people tend also to be low
context.Polychronic timeIn
Polychroni: human interaction is valued
over time and material things, leading to
a lesser concern for 'getting things done' - they do get done, but more in their own
time. Aboriginal and Native Americans
have typical polychronic cultures, where
'talking stick' meetings can go on for as
long as somebody has something to say.
Polychronic people tend also to be high
context.
MONOCHRONIC VS. POLYCHRONIC
BEHAVIOR
Time is crucial
Punctuality
Get to the point
A then B then C then D
Time is an asset
Task, linear
Polychronic
122
Monochronic
Time is not ours to manage
Events have their own time
A & B or C, D or B
Talk business, but also
football, food, friendship
Task & Relational, circular
SPACE
HIGH VS LOW TERRITORIALITY


Some people are more territorial than others with greater
concern for ownership. They seek to mark out the areas
which are theirs and perhaps having boundary wars with
neighbors. This happens right down to desk-level, where
co-workers may do battle over a piece of paper which
overlaps from one person's area to another. At national
level, many wars have been fought over boundaries.
Territoriality also extends to anything that is 'mine' and
ownership concerns extend to material things. Security
thus becomes a subject of great concern for people with a
high need for ownership. People high territoriality tend
also to be low context
People with lower territoriality have less ownership of
space and boundaries are less important to them. They
will share territory and ownership with little thought.
They also have less concern for material ownership and
their sense of 'stealing' is less developed (this is more
important for highly territorial people). People with low
territoriality tend also to be high context.
CULTURAL CATEGORIES
CULTURAL TYPES
RICHARD LEWIS QUOTE
"Cultural behavior is the end product of collected
wisdom, filtered and passed down through hundreds of
generations as shared core beliefs, values assumptions,
notions and persistent action patterns.
In other words, culture is a collective
programming of the mind, which distinguishes
the members of one human group from another."
WHICH STYLES ARE REPRESENTED
IN THESE EXTRACTS? (1)

I’m afraid I can’t fit a meeting in today. This
morning is my weekly team meeting, Then I’ve
planned two hours’ work on the budget. I could
see you tomorrow at 11 o’clock, between a visitor
who leaves at 10.45 and a scheduled lunch
appointment
WHICH STYLES ARE REPRESENTED
IN THESE EXTRACTS? (2)

Do come to the point. I need to get back with a
decision by four o’clock.
WHICH STYLES ARE REPRESENTED
IN THESE EXTRACTS? (3)

In the circumstances it would seem to be
inappropriate to attribute more than a general
description of those characteristics we will be
seeking in our new employee.
WHICH STYLES ARE REPRESENTED
IN THESE EXTRACTS? (4)

Don’t worry about the timing, just come when
you’re ready. I have a few things going on at the
moment, but I’m sure we can always squeeze in a
discussion of your problem.
EXAMPLE OF HIGH VS LOW
CONTEXT COLLISION
 When
President George Bush went to
Japan with Lee Iacocca and other
American business magnates, and directly
made explicit and direct demands on
Japanese leaders, they violated Japanese
etiquette. To the Japanese (who use high
context language) it is considered rude
and a sign of ignorance or desperation to
lower oneself to make direct demands.
Some analysts believe it severely
damaged the negotiations and confirmed
to the Japanese that Americans are
barbarians.
CROSS CULTURAL BLUNDERS (1)

Having a poor understanding of the influence of
cross cultural differences in areas such as
management, PR, advertising and negotiations
can eventually lead to blunders that can have
damaging consequences.
CROSS CULTURAL BLUNDERS (2)
 It
is crucial for today's business personnel
to understand the impact of cross cultural
differences on business, trade and
internal company organisation. The
success or failure of a company, venture,
merger or acquisition is essentially in the
hands of people. If these people are not
cross culturally aware then
misunderstandings, offence and a break
down in communication can occur.
CROSS CULTURAL BLUNDERS (3)

The need for greater cross cultural awareness is
heightened in our global economies. Cross
cultural differences in matters such as language,
etiquette, non-verbal communication, norms and
values can, do and will lead to cross cultural
blunders.
EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL
BLUNDERS IN
BUSINESS/MARKETING (1)
 Pepsodent
tried to sell its toothpaste in
Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it
"whitens your teeth." They found out that
the local natives chew betel nuts to
blacken their teeth which they find
attractive.
 A company advertised eyeglasses in
Thailand by featuring a variety of cute
animals wearing glasses. The ad was a
poor choice since animals are considered
to be a form of low life and no self
respecting Thai would wear anything
worn by animals.
EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL
BLUNDERS IN
BUSINESS/MARKETING (2)

When Pepsico advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with
the ad "Come Alive With Pepsi" they had no idea
that it would be translated into Chinese as "Pepsi
brings your ancestors back from the dead."
EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL
BLUNDERS IN
BUSINESS/MARKETING (3)
 The
day before the huge marketing
campaign, Panasonic realised its error
and pulled the plug. Why? The ads for the
new product featured the following slogan:
"Touch Woody - The Internet Pecker."
The company only realised its cross
cultural blunder when an embarrassed
American explained what "touch Woody's
pecker" could be interpreted as!
In 2002, Umbro the UK sports manufacturer
had to withdraw its new trainers (sneakers)
called the Zyklon. The firm received complaints
from many organisations and individuals as it
was the name of the gas used by the Nazi regime
to murder millions of Jews in concentration
camps.
 Sharwoods, a UK food manufacturer, spent £6
million on a campaign to launch its new 'Bundh'
sauces. It received calls from numerous Punjabi
speakers telling them that "bundh" sounded just
like the Punjabi word for "arse".


Honda introduced their new car "Fitta" into
Nordic countries in 2001. If they had taken the
time to undertake some cross cultural marketing
research they may have discovered that "fitta"
was an old word used in vulgar language to refer
to a woman's genitals in Swedish, Norwegian and
Danish. In the end they renamed it "Honda Jazz
THE “WORLDWIDE LOCAL BANK” HSBC
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND
HOW “THINGS ARE DONE” MAY
INFLUENCE…
Meetings
 Decision making process
 Problem solving
 Delegating
 Team working
 Motivating
 Negotiating

ONE NEEDS TO REMEMBER…
It’s important to keep an open mind in large
multinational organizations
 To communicate effectively with others in the
group
 To actively listen to others
 To be good at picking up differences and
respecting them

THE OVERALL AIM IS TO

Develop intercultural awareness and skills to
enable one to work effectively with people form
different cultures
CONCLUSION
With an understanding of various communication
characteristics among cultures, we are better
able to get along both personally and
professionally with other cultures; we will be able
to foresee how they are likely to react in various
situations
RICHARD LEWIS QUOTE
"Cultural behavior is the end product of collected
wisdom, filtered and passed down through hundreds of
generations as shared core beliefs, values assumptions,
notions and persistent action patterns.
In other words, culture is a collective
programming of the mind, which distinguishes
the members of one human group from another."
THANK YOU
SOURCES



http://www.crossculture.com/services/cross-culture/
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:rY5pQ5329usJ:facult
y.fuqua.duke.edu/ciber/ice/Cross%2520Culture
http://www.best-career-match.com/cross-culturalcommunication.html